Create React App(CRA) Vs Vite

3 min readApr 4, 2023

React has become one of the most popular JavaScript frameworks for building web applications. When starting a new project, developers have many options to choose from when it comes to tooling. Two of the most popular options are Create React App and Vite. In this article, we will explore the similarities and differences between Create React App and Vite to help you decide which one is best for your next project.

Create React App

Create React App is a popular tool for setting up a new React project. It is a zero-configuration tool that provides a pre-configured environment for developing React applications. Create React App is built on top of webpack and Babel, two popular tools used in modern web development.

Advantages of Create React App

Ease of Use: Create React App is extremely easy to set up and use. You can create a new React project with just a single command.
Good Documentation: Create React App has excellent documentation that makes it easy to get started and understand the tool.
Stable and Mature: Create React App has been around for a while and has a large user base. This means that it is stable and reliable.
Zero Configuration: Create React App requires no configuration. This makes it easy for developers to get started with a new project quickly.

Disadvantages of Create React App

Limited Configuration: Create React App is designed to be zero-config, which means that it does not provide a lot of configuration options. This can be limiting for some projects.
Slow Build Times: Create React App can have slow build times, especially for larger projects.

Vite

Vite is a relatively new tool that has gained popularity in the React community. It is a build tool that is designed to be fast and flexible. Vite was created by Evan You, the creator of Vue.js, and is built on top of esbuild, a fast JavaScript bundler.

Advantages of Vite

Fast Build Times: Vite is designed to be fast, which means that it has very fast build times, especially for small to medium-sized projects.
Flexible Configuration: Vite provides a lot of configuration options, which makes it easy to customize the tool to fit your specific needs.
Hot Module Replacement (HMR): Vite supports HMR, which means that changes made to your code are immediately reflected in the browser without having to refresh the page.
Vue-Like Syntax: Vite is designed to be similar to Vue.js, which makes it easy for developers who are already familiar with Vue to get started with Vite.

Disadvantages of Vite

Less Mature: Vite is a relatively new tool, which means that it is less mature than Create React App. This can make it less stable and reliable.
More Configuration: While Vite provides a lot of configuration options, this can also be a disadvantage for developers who do not want to spend a lot of time configuring their tooling.

Conclusion

Create React App and Vite are both great tools for developing React applications. Create React App is easy to use and stable, while Vite is fast and flexible. Ultimately, the choice between these two tools will depend on your specific needs and preferences. If you are looking for a zero-configuration tool that is stable and reliable, then Create React App may be the best choice for you. If you need a fast and flexible tool that provides a lot of configuration options, then Vite may be the better option.